Fluid pressure motor



July 26, 1938. F. F. T. FLINT mum PRESSURE MOTOR Filed May 20, 1955 I s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

xi FORRST F2070 TFLm/r ATTORNEY.

July 26, 1938. F. F. T. FLINT 2,124,735

FLUID PRESSURE MOTOR Filed May 20, 1935 s Sheets-Shee t 2' 16b INVENTOR.

. FORREST FLOYD .TTFL INT.

ATTORNEY.

July 26, 1938. -r 2,124,735

FLUID PRESSURE MOTOR Filed May 20, 1 935 3 SheetsSheet 3 INVENTOR. FOR/FEST FLOYD I FL //v7' A TTORNE Y.

Patented July 26, 1938 UNITED STATES FLUID rasssoas MOTOR Forrest Floyd T. Flint,

Detroit, Mich., assignor,

by direct and mesne assignments, to Automotive Devices Incorporated, a corporation of Michigan Application May 20, 1935, Serial No. 22,457

4 Claims.

This invention relates to fluid pressure motors adapted for use particularly where the differential pressure is very slight. The invention finds its greatest use in the field of the so calledsuction type motor, operating on the differential pressurebetween that of the atmosphere and that of the lower pressure obtained by causing a partial vacuum, such as is created in the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine.

The main object of this invention is to provide a fluid pressure operated motor in which the fluid cannot leak around any moving part inasmuch as reciprocating or oscillating pistons having relative movement to their cylinder'walls are entirely eliminated.

Another object of .the invention is to provide a fluid pressure motor capable of developing a maximum amount of power as compared with the area of the differential fluid pressure surfaces employed and which is nevertheless cheap to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved valve actuating mechanism which is simplified in construction, emcient in operation, and cheap to manufacture.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of one form of fluid pressure motor embodying. my invention, with the cover plate, which normally encloses the chamber in which the rack member reciprocates, removed.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the side opposite that shown in Figure 1, and being partly broken away, showing a sectional elevational view of the collapsible tube or bellows and their supporting and associated parts.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the control mechanism shown in Figures 2 and 3, taken on substantially the same line as Figure 2, viz., 2-2 of Figure 1, but showing the valve kicker and associated parts in a different position.

Fig. 5 is a detail view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4, showing a cross section of the motor shaft and a cross section of a portion of the pivot arm of the valve trip mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a fractional side elevational view showing another form of motion translatory means which may be utilized with the working chambers disclosed in Figures 1 and 2.

Fig. '7 is a fractional detail view in cross section showing a portion of a collapsible tube provided with exterior reinforcing rings.

Fig. 8 is a side eievational view of another embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 9 is a transverse view partly in section taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Fig. 10 is an exploded view of the valve mechanism and its housing.

Fig. 11 is a sectional detail view taken on line AA of Fig. 10.

Dealing first with the preferred embodiment of my invention, shown in Figures 1-5 inclusive, the

' motor includes a casting, designated generally by the numeral l5 and having a chamber-forming flange i6 which cooperates with a cover plate [6a in forming a valve chamber V. Said casting is also provided with an outwardly projecting hearing or shaft-engaging portion l1 and with a recessed portion i8, the latter accommodating the shaft-actuating pinion and the reciprocating rack member hereafter to be described. At the opposite ends, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, the casting is provided with upwardly extending portions l9 and 20 for supporting the collapsible and expansible working chambers or bellows hereafter to be described.

The motor shaft 2| extends through the pordate and to actuate one of the pins 26 in the usual manner. The reciprocating rack member 30 is mounted in the upper part of said recessed portion l8 of the casting IS in any suitable manner. I have shown the same supported on and slidable upon a shoulder 32'.

The casting is also provided with a flange portion 33 acting as an upper guide member for the rack member 30 and said flange 33 is cut away to form an opening, to accommodate the member that actuates the rack member 30. A cover plate 35 is mounted upon the bearing portion I! and abuts against side walls 36' and flange 33 to substantially close the chamber in which the rack member and associated parts operate.

I provide a pair of collapsible tubes 40 and 41, having a series of convolutions or folds of successive large diameter portionsand smaller diameter portions. These tubes may be constructed of metal, preferably of corrugated resilient metal such as brass, or they may be made of rubber or the like. When made of rubber they must be reinforced in some suitable manner and I have tubes over said respective-discs 55 and 58 and sefound the best reinforcement to consist in a set of rings used as hereinafter described.

I secure one end of each tube to one of the upwardly extending portions l8 and 28 respec-' tively in any suitable manner so as'to prevent leakage of fluid around the joint. I prefer to secure the tubes to said projecting supporting side walls I8 and 20 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, which consists of providing, perforated discs, 42 and 48 respectively, folding the ends of the respective tubes over said respective discs and securing the discs to the respective members l8 and so as to impinge the ends of said tubes therebetween by any suitable means such, for instance, as by means of the screws 44 and sealing washers 85.

The movable ends of said tubes may be closed in any suitable manner and connected to an arm for actuating the rack member 38. 'To accomplish this I prefer to utilize a central disc 58 having an extending and depending arm 5| which is secured to the rack 88 by any suitable means, such as by angle irons 52, and to close the movable ends of the tubes with two additional discs 55 and 58 which I secure to said central disc. I fold the respective movable endportions of the cure said three discs together so as to clamp or squeeze the ends of the respective tubes between their respective discs and the central disc to form a seal, securing the three discs together in any suitable manner such as by means of the screw 51, nut 58 and sealing washer 58.

In this manner I form two contractible and expansibe working chambers which are adapted to reciprocate disc 58., arm 5| and rack 80, thus actuatingpinion member 25 and oscillating shaft 2|.

When the tubes are made of rubber and are to be used in'the so-called suction" type motor, a ring 88 is placed inside of each large diameter convolution of the tubes as shown in Fig. 3.

' When the tubes are made of rubber and are to be used with fluid pressure in exoas of atmospheric pressure, one of said rings is placed on the outside of said tube in each small diameter groove or convolution as shown in Fig. '7.

The casting I5 is provided with an exhaust passage 85, having a suitable connecting pipe 88 at one end, adapted for connection with any suitable suction-creating or pressure creating means. Said passage 85 terminates at the other end in an exhaust port 81, located in a portion of the casting surrounding the shaft 2| which is preferably offset from the innermost portion of the valve chamber V andacts as the valve seat 88.

On each side of the exhaust port 81 and opening through said valve seat is a chamber-com- Mounted on the reduced portion 22 of shaft 2| is a disc valve is; said valve being provided with said exhaust port with either one of the two chamber communicating ports 18 and II between which it is interposed.

The valve 88 is provided with a central bore 82 of diameter sufficient to accommodate the shaft 2|. Thus, as the reduced portion of the shaft 22 is made to accommodate less than half the area of the bore 82 of valve 88, the remaining space is free to accommodate a portion of the valve-actuating means hereafter to be described.

The end of the large diameter portion of shaft 2|, adjacent reduced portion 22, is provided with a partial bore or recess 23, and a valve shifter pivot pin 85 extends through valve 88 and into said recess or bore 28 of the shaft 2| in such manner as to permit partial oscillation of the shaft without oscillating said pin. A portion of the valve shifter pin 85 beneath reduced portion 22 of shaft 2| is provided with a depending lug 86 of general triangular outline, in cross section, as shown in Fig. 5, presenting two inclihed faces 81 and 88 respectively. The reduced portion of the shaft 22 presents substantially two shoulders 22a and 22b, shoulder 22a being adapted to contact face 81 of lug 86 when the shaft rocks to the left as viewed in Fig. 5, and shoulder 22b being adapted to contact face 88 of lug 88 when the shaft rocks to the right as viewed in said Fig. 5, thus permitting considerable movement of the shaft before the latter will move the lug 88 and its pin 85.

The portion of the valve shifter pin 85 which projects into the valve chamber V, beyond the valve, is provided with an enlarged slotted head 88 in which is mounted a valve shifter lever 8|, the latter having, on the lower end, an offset lug or valvekicker lug 82 which is adapted to contact spaced valve-actuating shoulders 88 projecting from the lower portion of disc valve 88.

Projecting from the upper end of said valve .disc are spaced extending arms 88 and centrally mounted above said valve disc is a cushioned stop member 85 against which one of said spaced-extending arms 84 is adapted to contact for stopping the valve at each end of its stroke. The valve disc is provided with two spaced recessed portions 88 and 81 respectively, so spaced that when the valve connects exhaust port 81 with port I l port 18' will be uncovered by the valve and vice versa.

In order to hold valve 88 tightly against its seat 88, any suitable means may be employed such as a leaf spring I88, one end of which I secure to the casting, as by screw MI, in such manner that the leaf spring will extend over the disc valve 88 and will permit valve shifter lever 8| to pass thereover.

-Pivotally mounted in said valve chamber, on the casting and beneath the valve is a spring support H8 in which the ends of a spring I of general circular outline are mounted, the spring support having openings 2, one on each side of the pivot point, adapted to receive bent portions ||8ofsaidspring|||.

- The mid-portion'of said spring is bent into a V-shaped portion to form a seat H for the upper arm of valve shifter lever 8|, the latter preferably being tapered as shown to fit therein and having a groove I, see Fig. 4, to receive the spring and to aid in keeping saidlever arm and the spring seat together.

when the motor is used with pressures greater than that of. atmosphere, a sealing gasket |2|, of any suitablesealing material, is provided between the periphery of the valve casing and the valve chamber ,cover plate. Said cover plate is also provided with a pressure or atmospheric inlet port I22.

When the device operates as a so-called suction type motor, the gasket I2I may be omitted, and the port I22 may also be omitted if the cover plate is not sealed tightly enough to the valve casing to exclude the passage of air.

In the modified structure shown in Fig. 6, the rack 30 is of somewhat different form and is' provided with a slot 30a which is adapted to receive the arm 5I of disc 50. The rack in this form is provided with a pin 30b, and, in lieu of the pinion 25 shown in Fig. 1, I provide a U- shaped member 300 and rigidly secure it to the shaft 2|. The pin b is adapted to reciprocate in the groove or middle portion of said U-shaped member, and, as the rack member 30 reciprocates, it carries the pin 30b with it, and said reciprocation of pin 30b causes the U-shaped member 300 to turn or oscillate and consequently oscillates shaft 2|.

In Figs; 8 and 9 I have shown another modification of my invention in which a pair of expansible and contractible chambers have their moving ends provided with extending arms I40, each arm comprising a pair of spaced members MI and I42 respectively.

moveable ends are closed and secured to end members I52 in a similar manner. The end members I52 may besecured to the aforesaid arms I40 in any suitable manner or they may be made integral therewith.

In this modification the recessed portion I8 of casting I5 is somewhat larger in order to accommodate the arms I40 and a walking beam I60 which is rigidly secured to the shaft in any suitable manner. The respectiveends of said walking beam I60 .are provided with horizontal slots IGI and I02, one at each end, and the members I and I42 of the respective arms I40 straddle the walking beam I 60 and are united by respective pins I45 passing therethrough and through the respective slots, the pins being slideable in said slots. Thus, it will be seen that when one of the working chambers collapses or partially contracts and the other extends, the walking beam will be rocked and the shaft 2I will be oscillated.

The valve mechanism in this modification is the same as that shown in Figs. 1-5 inclusive, save that they are reversed in position, i. e.,

upside-down. g

The upwardly extending portion I of the casting I5 is provided with passages I2 and It communicating with the valve chamber and with the upper ends of the collapsible chambers in the same manner as shown in Fig.

In order to prevent undue longitudinal move-' ment of the valve shifter pivot pin 05 in the bore 23, any suit 1e bearing surface may be provided on the inside I the cover plate Ila for engaging the enlarged head 80 of said pin. For this purpose I prefer to stamp out the cover plate with a bearing portion lib, as shown.

Having now fully described my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structures shown.

I claim:

1. In a snap-acting control mechanism an oscillatory shaft a control lever to be actuated inaccordance with the movements of said shaft, means for pivotally supporting said lever for movement to eitherof two positions, biasing means for snapping said lever quickly between its positions comprising a spring of substantially circular conformation surrounding said lever, means for pivotally anchoring the ends of said spring, an intermediate deformed portion on saidspring providing a seat for operatively engaging one end of the valve shifter lever to continuously apply a biasing tension thereon, and means for operating said snap-acting mechanism.

2. In a snap-acting valve control mechanism an oscillatory shaft, a valve shifter control lever to be actuated to valve engaging positions in accordance with the movements of said shaft, means for pivotally supporting said lever for movement to either of two positions, actuating means providing a slack motion connection between said 25 shaft and said lever, biasing means for snapping said valve shifter quickly between its valve engaging positions comprising a spring of substantially circular conformation surrounding said lever, means for anchoring the ends of said spring, and an intermediate deformed portion of said spring providing a seat for operatively engaging one end of the enclosed valve shifting lever to continuously apply biasing tension thereon.-

3. A snap acting valve mechanism comprising an oscillatory shaft having'a projecting shoulder, an oscillatory valve, oscillatory valve kicker means pivotally mounted on said shaft and having a lug portion presenting two faces and effecting a loose connection with said shoulder and adapted to be actuated thereby to either of two positions, thereby causing the movement of the valve, a spring of substantially circular conformation surrounding a portion of said kicker means adapted to quickly snap said lever from one to the other of its positions after the shoulder of theshaft has first moved said lever beyonddead center and. adapted to hold it there until the shoulder of the shaft moves said lever in the opposite direction and means for pivotally anchoring the ends of said spring.

' A snap acting valve mechanism comprisin an oscillatory shaft having a projecting shoulder,

-an oscillatory valve', an oscillatory valve control lever mounted on said shaft and adapted to actuwith and adapted to be actuated by said shoulder of the shaft for causing the initial movement of the shaft again contacts said lever actuatable means and moves said lever in the opposite direction and means for pivotally anchoring the ends 'of said spring.

manner movn mri-nm ate said valve, means: having a loose connection 

